1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a harness device used by wind and kite surfers, and more particularly, to harness devices that include quick release features that enable a user to quickly engage and disengage a harness device from a harness line.
2. Description of the Related Art
Both wind and kite surfers use floatable boards with foot straps mounted on the board into which the users place their feet. With windsurf boards, a fin is attached to the bottom of the board, a mast is pivotally attached to the board via a universal joint, a u-shaped boom is attached at its opposite ends to the mast that extends to the starboard and port sides of the board, and a sail is attached to the mast. Kite surfers grab onto a pair of bridle lines that are connected at their upper ends to the edges of a kite flown by the user and connected at their lower ends to a lightweight handle bar.
In both sports, users often wear a harness worn around their waist or upper torso. Attached to the front, middle axis of the harness is a hook member that selectively engages a harness line attached to the boom or to the handle bar.
During use, the windsurfers launch the board into the water and simultaneously hold the sail upright into the wind. Once they are upright and underway, they step into the foot straps. Once properly positioned on the board, the user engages the harness line into a hook member attached to a harness. Kite surfers typically follow the same procedures, with the exception of connecting the hook members to the harness line before lifting the kite into the wind.
When wind or kite surfing, users must continuously adjust their position on the board to counteract the wind forces exerted on the sail or kite. Not only do users need to move quickly back and forth between the starboard and port sides of the board, but they must move quickly between fully standing and crouching positions. They also must lean inwards or outwards.
A xe2x80x9cblow overxe2x80x9d is a common accident that occurs when a sudden gust of wind fills the sail or kite, which immediately pulls the user over the board and slams him or her into the water. When these accidents occur while wind surfing, the user may be thrown into the boom, causing injury or damage to the boom and sail. When these accidents occur while kite surfing, the kite may continue to fly, pulling the user across the water in a downward facing position and potentially causing him or her to drown.
As mentioned above, in both sports, a harness line is normally attached to a hook member on the harness worn by the user. One drawback with standard harness lines and hook members is that they cannot be quickly disengaged during a blow over. U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,865 discloses a harness system for sailboard operators that uses a quick release hook member that releases the hook from the harness line by laterally pulling a cord attached to the hook. Unfortunately, blow overs happen so quickly and unexpectedly that most riders don""t have sufficient time to pull a cord laterally.
What is needed is an improved quick release harness device for windsurfers and kite surfers that enable the user to quickly and easily disconnect from the harness line.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved quick release harness device for wind or kite surfers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a harness device that selectively connects to a harness line used during wind or kite surfing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a harness device that can be quickly and conveniently manually disconnected from the harness by the user while riding.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a harness device that automatically resets itself after being disconnected.
These and other objects of the invention which will become apparent are met by a quick release harness device for a wind or kite surfer or the like that enables the surfer to immediately release himself from the harness line during a blow over event and then quickly and easily reconnect himself to the harness line when desired. The device includes a main bracket attached to a waist support member worn around the user""s waist. The waist support member may be a separate component or a component integrally formed into a belt or harness. Attached to the main bracket and below the lever is a pivoting hook member with a forward extended arcuate section designed to partially wrap around a ring or similar structure attached to the distal end of a harness line when it is in a locked position. Located on the opposite end of the hook member is a straight and rearward extended section. Attached to the main bracket, medially with respect to the hook member, is an upward extending latch. The latch includes a hook member support surface that supports the proximal end of the rearward extending section on the hook member when the hook member is in a locked position where pivotal movement of the hook member is prohibited. During operation, the lever is pressed downward which automatically allows the latch to pivot rearward thereby disengaging from the proximal end of the hook member. When the latch moves to a disengaged position, the tension force exerted by the harness line on the hook member automatically causes the hook member to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and release the harness line.
The first embodiment is designed to be used by windsurfers where movement of the latch between engaged and disengaged positions is manually controlled by pressing downward on the lever. A first biasing means disposed between the lever and the main bracket automatically returns and maintains the lever to an upper extended position when the pressure is removed. A second biasing means is provided between the latch and the main bracket to keep the latch in an engaged position with the hook member. A third biasing means is provided between the hook member and the main bracket to keep the hook member in its original locked position.
In a second embodiment designed to be used by kite surfers, movement of the latch between the engaged and disengaged positions is also manually controlled by pressing downward on the lever which disengages it from the main bracket so that it is able to pivot rearward. The latch includes an upper portion that extends upward under the lever and above the hook member. When the user presses the lever downward and then pulls the lever rearward, the latch member automatically pivots rearward thereby disengaging from the hook member. A first biasing means is disposed between the lever and the upper portion of the latch member to maintain the lever in a locked position on the main bracket. A second biasing means is disposed between the latch and main bracket to keep the latch in an engaged position.